MMMystery on the Friendship Express
by Dede42
Summary: When Pinkie Pie takes the latest creation made by the Cakes to a competition in Canterlot, somepony manages to eat a few bites of it despite her best effort to keep it safe. Can Pinkie Pie solve the mystery?
1. Chapter 1: DESSERT TRANSPORTATION

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: MMMystery on the Friendship Express

A/N: Hello, world and welcome back to _MLP: __Friendship is Magic!_ Yes, it's time for the start of a new story, and I will have an important announcement at the end of the chapter. Onward!

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE: DESSERT TRANSPORTATION**

It was a clear sunny day in Ponyville, and over at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and the Cakes were getting ready to transport a four-tiered cake from their shop to the train station.

"Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness," Pinkie Pie gushed, staring at the beautiful cake. "You've _really _outdone yourselves, Mr. and Mrs. Cake," she praised. "This is sure to be the winning entry of this year's national dessert competition!"

"Oh, thank you, Pinkie!" said Mrs. Cake, proud of their creation.

"And thanks for transporting it all the way to Canterlot for us," Mr. Cake added.

The pink pony beamed. "Absolutely!" she agreed. "It's my honor and I-"

"Uh, beg pardon, but could we maybe move things along?" Applejack interrupted, nodding to Big Macintosh, who was carrying the cake on his back. "This here cake's a mite heavy. Right, Big Macintosh?"

Big Mac nodded and grunted. "Eeyup…!"

"Alrighty then, Big Mac!" Pinkie Pie said, putting on a blue hardhat with a flashing red light on top. "To the train depot!" She then lead the stallion out of the shop and across town with the Cakes following from behind. "That's it, Big Mac, nice and slow. This is precious cargo you're carrying."

"Yes, it took months of planning and testing," Mr. Cake agreed, a nervous expression on his face.

"I would hate for it to-" Mrs. Cake began when Big Mac suddenly grunted and the cake started to topple. "Fall!" And Mr. Cake fainted.

The pink pony looked around quickly and found a solution. "Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, a little pegassistance?" she called out and the two pegasi flew over to help by hooking ropes to the sides of the plate carrying the cake, in order to keep it balanced, and after waking Mr. Cake up, they resumed heading to the train station. "I'll get it there safely, you'll see!"

"Ahahah, oh… of course, Pinkie," Mrs. Cake agreed nervously.

"We never doubted you," Mr. Cake added, and then when the cake began wobbling again, he fainted for a second time.

Worried, Pinkie Pie looked around and her expression brightened when she saw the twins. "Twilight, Sunrise, can I see you both for a second?" she requested while nodding to the cake, and the twins used their magic to create a magical shield around the cake to keep it upright. "A nice protective spell as extra insurance." She laughed nervous and called out to Applejack and Rarity. "Better safe than sorry. AJ, Rarity, one last thing?" she asked and they carried a trampoline alongside the cake as they reached the train station, and they started up the steps. "All right, everypony, we're in the home stretch here."

* * *

By the time they reached the platform, Mr. Cake was wheezing with fear, and yet they had managed to get there in time.

"See, Mr. and Mrs. Cake?" the pink pony asked cheerfully. "I got it here without a hitch! Now all we have to do is get it… in?" She'd opened the door to the dessert car on the train, and she trailed off when she turned back to the cake. _How_ were they going to get the cake into the train car?

Seeing this, Mr. Cake fainted once again while Mrs. Cake sighed and shook her head.

* * *

After getting permission from the conductor, Big Mac removed the side of the dessert car so that the Mane Seven could get the cake inside, and once this was accomplished, the stallion pushed the wall back up, hammering it into place.

Pinkie Pie sighed with relief once the cake was on its' designated table. "Thank you all for helping me get the cake safely on the dessert car," she said gratefully to her friends.

"Thank _you _for inviting us all to go with you to Canterlot for the National Dessert Competition," said Twilight Sparkle smiling.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we got to go somewhere fun together," Sunrise Blossom agreed.

"I'm sure the festivities will be just lovely," Rarity added.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Phooey on the festivities!" she said, turning to the cake. "I can't wait to try all those tasty treats!" She reached out to touch it with one hoof-

_Slap!_ Pinkie Pie lowered the hoof to slap away her friend's hoof and stood in front of the cake. "Well, the tastiest treat of all is sure to be the Cakes' Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness," she predicted, staring worshipfully up at the cake. "All that rich _creamy _goodness of the marzipan, combined with the tart tanginess of the mascarpone, blended perfectly with the smooth, silky sweetness of the meringue. That's why I call the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness the "MMMM"."

"MMMM," her friends responded, and they all were staring up at the beautiful cake, hoping that after the competition was over, they would get to taste it.

"Exactly," the pink pony agreed dreamily. "It's the _most _delicious delectable delightful de-lovely cake in Equestria, and it's sure to win first prize."

Just then, a Griffin with a chef's hat and apron entered the car with his wings folded over something he was carrying. "Zis is not so," he announced with a French accent, "for I, Gustave le Grand, do challenge your _crude _cake to a duel of delectable delicacies against _my _exceptionally Exquisite Éclairs!" And he folded his wings back to reveal that he was holding a gold tray that held a pyramid of éclairs that were covered with chocolate icing, and he shined a light on them, briefly blinding the ponies. "They will undoubtedly strike down all ze competition, winning first prize and crowning me _le champion_." He then set the tray down on a table while turning the light off.

"Not a chance, le Grand," said Donut Joe, entering the car.

"Donut Joe!" the twins exclaimed, recognizing the donut owner from Canterlot. "What are you doing in Ponyville?"

Donut Joe smiled when he saw Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom. "Picking up the final all-important ingredient for my contest entry, Donutopia!" he announced, pulling in a cart that had a city made out of donuts covered with different kinds of frosting, and he added some glittery sprinkles to them. "And with these super-sprinkles, my donuts are going to dunk all the other lousy desserts, steal first prize, and make my donut shop famous _forever!" _And he laughed manically.

"Oh, Joe…" said a female voice, laughing as the source of the voice, which was a large brown moose, entered the car. "Your dippy donuts could never out-rival _me_." And the moose laughed again.

Pinkie Pie trotted over to greet the moose. "Hello. What's your name?"

A female donkey stepped out from behind the moose, which was on a low cart. "I am Mulia Mild," she announced as she positioned the chocolate moose into its' spot. "Behold, my Chocolate Mousse Moose. It will trample all your treats, be given first prize, and make me the greatest chef in Equestria."

"Madame Mild, you and your mousse moose are mistaken," Gustave le Grand scoffed.

"Your frou-frou éclairs will never defeat my donuts!" Donut Joe snapped.

"The Cakes' Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness is going to win!" Pinkie Pie declared.

"Your simple cake could never take my moose," Mulia Mild mocked, and just when it looked like they were going to break out into a fight, the train whistle went off, and the train started moving.

To make sure that there wasn't any trouble among the chefs, Twilight Sparkle stepped between them. "Well, it sure looks like we're in for a delicious competition tomorrow," she commented. "Maybe we should all settle in for a good night's sleep."

"That's a _really_ good idea," Sunrise Blossom agreed, hoping to defuse the situation, too.

Reluctantly agreeing, Donut Joe, Mulia Mild, and Gustave le Grand left the dessert cart for the sleeper car, and they entered their respective rooms, slamming the doors behind them.

Rainbow Dash yawned. "I gotta admit I'm pretty beat," she remarked since it'd taken a lot of effort to get the cake into the train car.

"Yeah, I'm gonna hit the hay myself," Applejack agreed, and they started for the doorway.

However, Pinkie Pie blocked their way. "Wait!" she yelped. "Didn't you hear those chefs? We have to protect "MMMM"."

"MMMM?" Rarity asked, nodding to the cake.

The pink pony nodded. "Mmm-hmmm," she confirmed. "I know for super sure that "MMMM" is the best dessert in all of Equestria, and I know that they know it too."

"So…" the blue pegasus prompted.

"So… one of them is going to sabotage the Cakes' cake tonight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You have to help me stand guard!"

Twilight Sparkle sighed. "Pinkie… you're overreacting."

"Yeah, those chefs aren't going to do your cake any harm," Applejack agreed.

"But they are!" the pink pony insisted. "I just know it."

Sunrise Blossom shook her head. "I think you're overreacting, Pinkie."

"No, I'm not!" Pinkie Pie objected.

"Fine!" Rainbow Dash said, exasperated. "If you want to stand guard, go for it. _We're _going to bed." And she shot over her friend's head, and when the pink pony moved aside, the other five ponies also left to get some rest.

Pinkie Pie watched them leave and then she went back to stand guard in front of the cake. "I'll show them," she vowed, looking up at the cake. "I'll stay up all night and protect you. Nothing and nopony will stop me from keeping you safe."

* * *

A/N: Wow, there is some serious dessert competition on the train. Anyway, time for the announcement and I do expect that some of you aren't going to be too happy to hear this, but bear in mind that it is summertime here in Utah, there are big movies coming out, and I do have to give real life my attention, especially when it comes to my jobs.

Because I have morning shifts at the movie theater on Tuesday and Thursday this week, plus babysitting my nephews on Wednesday, I'm not entirely sure of when I'll get to post the next chapter. Like I said before, it's summertime and works tends to pick up at the movie theater with all of the big summer blockbusters coming to theaters, and when I'm asked to look after my nephews, I can't refuse since I'm their favorite aunt.

So, with all that in mind, I will try to update as soon as I have an opening in my schedule, and until then, please be polite and patient with me and each other. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	2. Chapter 2: MIDNIGHT RAID

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: MMMystery on the Friendship Express

A/N: Hello, world and welcome back to _MLP: __Friendship is Magic!_ Sorry for the delay, but things got busy at the movie theater, plus I was babysitting my nephews, and earlier I took my client from my other job to her doctor's appointment. Nothing to worry about, just a routine checkup.

So, that's enough about real life, time to get this story rolling. Onward!

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO: MIDNIGHT RAID**

That night Pinkie Pie marched back and forth in front of the cake, determined to keep it safe, and she was also determined to stay awake the entire night if she had to. However, after about an hour, she began drooping and was on the verge of falling asleep when a shadowy figure zoomed behind her, waking her up.

"Huh? Stop, you saboteur!" she shouted, chasing after the figure through the cars until she reached the last one, and nearly flipped over the railing. "I have you now! Wha?" She looked around, wondering where the figure had gone.

* * *

Unable to find the figure, the pink pony returned to the dessert car when she saw another shadowy figure wearing a hat, and she gave chase, this time toward the front of the train. "A-ha!" she shouted, but there was only the engineer shoving coal into the engine.

* * *

Pinkie Pie dashed back into the dessert car to check on the cake. "Ahh?! Oh!" she gasped, relieved when she saw that the cake was still intact. "Thank Celestia you're okay! But one of those bakers is mixing up something bad, so I'm not leaving you again no matter what," she vowed when the blinds suddenly snapped shut, plunging the car into utter darkness.

"Huh? Who turned out the moon?" she demanded when she heard galloping and went charging around in the dark to stop the possible thief. "Don't go near that cake, thief! Stop, thief!" She ran into something and heard a grunt. "Oh, are you okay, thief?" she asked before the door opened and she raced into the nearby sleeper car, only to find it devoid of shadowy figures.

* * *

Growling in frustration, Pinkie Pie straightened the nearby portrait that'd been knocked sideways by the thief before opening the binders to let the moonlight in. "Huh… Overreacting, my hoof," she grumbled, returning to her post. "I knew I was going to have to keep a close eye on you, and that's just what I'm gonna do."

She stared intensely at the cake for several seconds before falling fast asleep, snoring loudly.

* * *

The next morning, Pinkie Pie was still sleeping on the floor when a rooster crowed and she woke up, "Huh? What?" She gasped and looked at the cake while getting up on her hooves. "The cake! Oh, MMMM, you look mmmm-marvelous."

Yawning, Twilight Sparkle and Sunrise Blossom both entered the car and when they looked at the cake, they both gasped. "Whoa!"

"I _know,_" the pink pony agreed happily. "I think some congratulations are in order for a job well done."

Twilight Sparkle went over to the cake, examined one of the sides and then looked at her friend. "Um, you better hold off on giving yourself an award just yet, Pinkie," she advised. "Look." And she turned the plate that the cake was on a bit.

"Look at what?" Pinkie Pie and looked at the side of the cake that'd been facing the wall. "Huh?" She gasped in horror at the sight of the three large bite marks in the side of the cake.

"Um, I think we have a cake thief on board," said Sunrise Blossom uneasily, wishing that she'd taken her friend more seriously.

The pink pony began screaming and the other ponies came running into the car to see what was going on.

"What is it?" Applejack asked, concerned.

"What happened?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking around frantically.

"It's the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness, it's been" Pinkie Pie cried "mutilated!" And as the group gasped in horror, she became unexpectedly calm and a determined expression etched itself across her face. "Now we just need to find out who done it," she announced, and wrong-footed them.

Twilight Sparkle was the first to recover from the emotional change in her friend. "You mean, who _did _it," she corrected.

"Exactly," the pink pony agreed. "Who did-done-dood it."

"That's not a real word, Pinkie," Sunrise Blossom pointed out, rolling her eyes.

"Well, having read many mystery novels, I know that the only way to discover the culprit is to investigate," the purple unicorn remarked.

Pinkie Pie nodded and planted a detective hat on her own head, clamping a pipe in her mouth, blowing bubbles. "Exactly," she agreed. "And as chief detective, that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"Uh, _you're _investigatin'?" Applejack asked skeptically.

"Yes!" said the pink pony, planting a bowler hat on Twilight Sparkle's head, earning an annoyed look from her friend. "And Twilight shall be my lowly assistant who asks silly questions with obvious answers."

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. "Fine, Pinkie," she grumbled. "Should we start looking for clues?"

"Perfect silly question, my dear Twilight," Pinkie Pie agreed, blowing more bubbles as she paced before the group. "Because the obvious answer is…"

"Yes?" the purple unicorn suggested.

The pink pony shook her head. "No! 'Cause I know who did it," she announced and the group gasped.

Had Pinkie Pie _really_ solve the case?

* * *

A/N: Hmm, has Pinkie really solved the case already? Well, you'll just have to wait until Tuesday to find out. Yeah, I know that's a long wait, but that's just how it is. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	3. Chapter 3: CLAIMS AND CLUES

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: MMMystery on the Friendship Express

A/N: Hello, world and welcome back to _MLP: Friendship is Magic!_ Yup, it's time to see if Pinkie Pie has solved the mystery of who could've eaten part of the cake. Onward!

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE: CLAIMS AND CLUES**

"Pinkie, how could you possibly know?" Twilight Sparkle asked, wrong-footed by this announcement.

"How could I possibly _not _know?" Pinkie Pie replied, beaming. "Clearly this dastardly deed was done by the baker, who knew their dessert could not measure up to the mastery of the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness. I guess you feared your éclairs lacked flair, Gustave!" she declared, facing the startled Griffin as she explained how he did like a bad guy from an old silent film. "Thus, destroying the cake and the Cakes' chance of winning the National Dessert Competition."

"But it makes no sense!" Twilight Sparkle protested.

The pink pony looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean, lowly assistant?" she inquired.

"Well, first, if you were tied to the train tracks, how are you now here?" the purple unicorn questioned.

Pinkie Pie blinked and realized that her friend had a good point. "Huh… Guess that isn't a totally silly question," she admitted.

"And second, the cake hasn't been sliced," Twilight Sparkle continued, pointing to the damage on the cake. "It's been bitten. Just look at the teeth marks!"

"Hm… You're right, my fine fellow," the pink pony reluctantly agreed. "Gustave le Grand is clearly in the clear, which means the "MMMM" was destroyed by another baker. A baker who's donuts are do-nots. That's right, it was Joe!" she announced, pointing to Donut Joe, startling him as she went on to explain how he did it in a very James Bond manner, and what she believed his true identity to be. "Or as he's known the spy world, Mane. Con Mane," she added before finishing her claims. "Crushing the Cakes' chances to win!"

"Pinkie!" the purple unicorn snapped. "There is no laser beam security system! And Joe is not sleek, stealthy Con Mane! He's big, gruff, and messy!"

Donut Joe shot her a look. "Hey!"

"Although, you would look rather dapper in a tuxedo," Rarity remarked.

"And the cake wasn't crushed," Sunrise Blossom pointed out.

Pinkie Pie became thoughtful. "Huh… You and Sunrise may be right, lowly assistant," she admitted.

"_May _be?" the twins exclaimed, staring at their friend.

The pink pony nodded and looked at the three intact desserts. "Now that I'm taking a closer look at these desserts, I see that _one _simply cannot look me in the eye," she remarked, eying the chocolate moose.

The twins groaned. "Pinkie… that moose is a mousse!"

"Yes, and the mule behind the moose panicked when she saw the mastery of the "MMMM"," said Pinkie Pie proudly.

Sunrise Blossom covered her face with one hoof while Twilight Sparkle sighed, already seeing where this was going to go. "So you're saying that the culprit is…"

"Mulia Mild!" the pink pony announced before going on of how Mulia Mild was a ninja, and the fight they had before Mulia Mild took her sword to the cake. "Putting an end to the Cakes' dreams of taking first prize." She faced the dumb-founded female donkey. "Huh, I hope you're proud of yourself, _Mulia_."

"Pinkie, stop!" Twilight Sparkle shouted, having heard enough. "This is ridiculous! Look at her!" She pointed to Mulia Mild, who was hiding behind Sunrise Blossom, whimpering.

Pinkie Pie sighed in defeat. "I guess you're right…"

"Thank you!" the purple unicorn exclaimed.

"But I was _so_ sure that it was one of the other bitter bakers that destroyed the "MMMM"," the pink pony complained, pacing while eying the three remaining desserts. "That way, their delicious dessert would reign supreme. I mean, just look at Joe's Donutopia. It's a spectacular city of donutty delight, topped temptingly in sprinklicious sprinkles. And Gustave's éclairs look incredibly edible, with glistening glaziness. But then there's Mulia Mild's Mousse Moose." She sighed. "Why, this mouth-wateringly marvelous mousse moose tempts the taste buds with its silky, smooth, yummy-nummy, chocolateyness. So why did this criminal devour the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness while leaving this trio of tasty treats untouched?"

At that _exact _moment, the train entered a tunnel so that everything went dark, and there were munching sounds, followed by a scream. When the train came out of the tunnel, the group gasped when they saw that the donuts, the éclairs, and the chocolate moose had all been eaten.

Pinkie Pie gasped, staring in horror and confusion. "Now I have _no _idea who do-doned it!"

"Ok, despite _everything_ we've encountered in the past, this is the _strangest_ incident yet," said Sunrise Blossom, staring around at the ruined desserts and the devastated expressions on the faces of the three chefs, and her twin sister agreed.

Even Pinkie Pie was confounded by this twist of events. "This mystery gets more mysterious every minute."

"Well, you have to stop the wild accusations and get to the truth," Twilight Sparkle advised. "Everypony go back to your cars while we do a little investigating," she requested and her twin herded both their friends and the chefs out of the dessert car, returning long enough to give her sister her saddlebags. "Okay, Pinkie, in order to _really _solve this mystery, we're going to have to find clues," she continued, switching hats with her friend, and cleaned the steam of the pipe before blowing a few bubbles. "Now you were here at the scene of the crime all night."

Pinkie Pie reacted badly to this. "Huh! You're not accusing _me_, are you?" she demanded.

"No!" the purple unicorn exclaimed. "But maybe you _saw _something that will help us."

Realizing what her friend meant, the pink pony thought back to the events that took place and remembered something. "I saw a silhouette in the moonlight!" she recalled brightly.

"Good…" said Twilight Sparkle. "Let's retrace your steps." She sighed when her friend began walking backwards, and she followed.

"And then I chased the culprit down the train towards the caboose," Pinkie Pie concluded when they reached the caboose, "but when I got there, he was gone."

Twilight Sparkle looked around the caboose and spotted something on the ceiling. "Hm… A-ha! Our first clue," she announced, magically taking out an envelope out of her bag and put the evidence in it before her friend could see it. "I think I know who did it, Pinkie."

The pink pony was surprised to hear this. "Already?"

"Yes, but I need more evidence to confirm," the purple unicorn confirmed. "Tell me what happened next."

Pinkie Pie nodded and lead the way back to the dessert car. "I heard somepony else in the dessert car and chased them up to the engine," she explained and they headed to the engine together. "But when I got there, all I saw was the conductor shoveling coal." And sure enough, they found the conductor in the engine.

"The conductor, huh?" Twilight Sparkle magically took his head and peered inside. However, what she found made her gasp. "But that doesn't make any sense," she said softly while putting the evidence in an envelope, and returned the hat to the conductor. "What happened next, Pinkie?" she asked.

Instead of answering, Pinkie Pie switched hats before hurrying back to the dessert car.

* * *

Twilight Sparkle entered the dessert car and found the pink pony looking around with a magnify glass for several minutes before reluctantly switching the hats back.

"Well… I went back to the dessert car," said Pinkie Pie, thinking of what had happen.

The purple unicorn nodded. "Yes?"

"The curtains mysteriously closed, all on their own," the pink pony recalled.

"Interesting. Anything else?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

Pinkie Pie retraced what she did while it had been dark. "I heard hoofsteps, a loud thud…" And she bumped into the door, knocking the nearby portrait so it wasn't hanging properly "…and then they were gone! When I opened the curtains, I saw that the portrait by the door was all crooked."

Twilight Sparkle went over to the portrait and examined it. "Oh my, what is that?" she wondered, putting the evidence into an envelope, once again keeping her friend from seeing it, and the pink pony was getting frustrated by this. "What next Pinkie?" she asked, turning back to her friend.

"That's it," Pinkie Pie admitted. "I was here guarding the cake the rest of the night. I mean… I slept by the cake the rest of the night," she amended when her friend shot her a look.

"And when you woke up, half the cake was gone?" the purple unicorn inquired.

The pink pony nodded. "Exactly."

Twilight Sparkle pondered everything that they'd learned and the puzzle pieces fell into place inside her mind. "By Jove, I think I've got it," she announced brightly. "Call everypony back. We have a cake culprit to catch."

* * *

A/N: It looks like the dessert thief is about to be caught by Twilight Sparkle, and you'll have to wait until tomorrow to know who attacked the desserts. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	4. Chapter 4: MYSTERY SOLVED!

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: MMMystery on the Friendship Express

A/N: Hello, world and welcome back to _MLP: Friendship is Magic!_ It's time for the final chapter and to solve the dessert thief mystery. Onward!

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR: MYSTERY SOLVED!**

Getting a request from her sister, Sunrise Blossom escorted the group back into the dessert car with the instruction to wait until Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie would join them.

"Why are we all here again?" Mulia Mild asked, stuttering a little.

At that _exact _moment, Twilight Sparkle entered with Pinkie Pie. "I bet you're wondering why you're all here again."

"She's good," Donut Joe whispered, impressed.

The purple unicorn nodded and walked among them. "We have discovered the true culprit of this cake carnage," she announced as the pink pony followed her.

"But how?" Gustave le Grand inquired.

"Well, you see," Twilight Sparkle explained, facing the group, "when committing a crime, it's crucial that one never leaves behind clues, especially an obvious clue like… _this_." And she opened the first envelope to reveal a blue feather, earning a gasp from the group.

"A-ha! A blue feather!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed and she confronted the Griffin. "I knew it was you, Gustave le Grand!"

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. "Pinkie, Gustave doesn't have blue feathers," she reminded her friend.

"No, 'cause he's been dyeing them!" the pink pony snapped and was going to yank on his feathers to prove it when Sunrise Blossom magically pulled her away.

The purple unicorn shook her head. "No, Pinkie. Remember how when you chased the suspect to the caboose, they suddenly disappeared?" she asked and her friend nodded. "That's because they _flew away_. But the thief _did _leave a little something behind, didn't you, Rainbow Dash?" she asked, fixing the blue pegasus with a look.

"I-I don't even like cake!" Rainbow Dash protested quickly, too quickly since she was sweating a little.

"So Rainbow Dash did it!" Pinkie Pie declared proudly. "Case solved!"

Twilight Sparkle shook her head. "Case not solved," she corrected, pulling out a second envelope, "because when we went to the engine, I saw the conductor's hat. And inside the hat was… _this_." And she magically pulled a light pink hair out of it.

"So it _was _you!" said the pink pony, poking the blue pegasus in the chest. "That pink hair came from your rainbow-colored mane!"

Rainbow Dash pushed her back. "I don't have _pink _in my mane, _Pinkie_!" she objected.

"So you're wearing a wig?" Pinkie Pie guessed and yanked on her friend's mane, making her protest, and when it looked like they were going to fight, Sunrise Blossom magically pulled them apart.

"Pinkie, remember?" Twilight Sparkle continued. "You chased a pony to the engine, where you thought you saw the conductor shoveling coal, but that wasn't the conductor at all. It was… Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy gasped and hung her head in shame. "Oh my."

"You're goin' down, Fluttershy!" the pink pony exclaimed and was about to pounce on the yellow pegasus, but the orange unicorn stopped her.

"Pinkie!" the purple unicorn snapped. "But then another clue confounded my suspicions. You were guarding the cake when the curtains mysteriously closed. But that's no mystery, that's magic. But when the thief tried to make their great escape, they left a little addition to the portrait. Has anypony else noticed that Rarity is wearing her hair rather differently today?" she inquired, nodding to the grey unicorn, who was indeed covering her right eye with her mane.

Rarity gasped, offended. "What? Is it a crime to change one's style now and again?" she asked. "Why, I think it's a crime not to."

"_Really?_" Twilight Sparkle asked slyly, and magically made her friend's mane move back to normal, revealing that her right eye was missing its' eyelash.

"Fine, I'm guilty!" the grey unicorn cried. "I wear false eyelashes! Oh, and I took a bite of the cake," she added.

Fluttershy nodded sadly. "So did I."

"Aw nuts, so did I," Rainbow Dash confessed.

"You just made it sound so delectable," Rarity informed the pink pony.

Fluttershy nodded. "So tasty."

"And boy was it!" Rainbow Dash agreed, grinning.

"I only meant to take a little, lady-like bite," the grey unicorn added.

The yellow pegasus once again nodded. "And it was so good."

"Yeah, I just dove right in!" added the blue pegasus.

"But I'm really really sorry," Fluttershy apologized.

Rarity nodded. "Terribly sorry."

Rainbow Dash also nodded. "Sorry, Pinkie."

Pinkie Pie smiled at her friends, understanding why they did it. "That's okay," she assured them. "At least this mystery is finally solved."

"But it isn't," Twilight Sparkle said, and they all looked at her questioningly. "We figured out who ate the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness," she added, "but we still don't know who devoured the other bakers' goods."

Sunrise Blossom nodded, looking at the remains of the other three desserts. "That is perplexing."

"You're right, Twilight," Pinkie Pie agreed, smiling. "You know what we have to do?"

The purple unicorn nodded and switched hats with her friend. "Well… Yes, I do. Do you?" she asked.

"Look for clues!" the pink pony announced and she began investigating the dessert car, searching every inch of it as the group waited.

* * *

After several minutes, Twilight Sparkle broke the silence. "Well, Pinkie. Did you find the devourer of the desserts?" she asked.

"I most certainly did," Pinkie Pie confirmed, having found clues. "It was none other than… the bakers!" She pointed at the bakers in question, and they gasped as she went to them and showed the clues she'd found on each of them. "First of all, Gustave has mousse in his moustache!" she announced and sure enough, there _was_ chocolate on his mustache. "And Joe has éclair in his hair!" And he did have some on his mane. "And Mulia has sprinkles in her wrinkles!" And there were sprinkles on her face.

"What do you say, bakers?" the purple unicorn inquired.

Gustave le Grand sighed and turned to the lady donkey. "Oh, I am so sorry, Mulia," he apologized, "but Pinkie made your mousse moose sound… _très magnifique_."

"And Pinkie's description of your éclairs really did make 'em sound scrumptious," Donut Joe confessed to the Griffin.

"And the way she spoke of your Donutopia," said Mulia Mild with a dreamy expression, "ohh, was too delectable to resist."

"Well, everypony, we finally have the mystery solved," Twilight Sparkle declared.

Gustave le Grand nodded, but he wasn't happy. "Yes, but now we don't have any desserts to enter into ze contest!" he moaned.

Pinkie Pie looked around at the ruined desserts and got an idea. "I think we can fix that. Come on!" And she had them gather up the remains to make a brand new dessert for the contest.

* * *

Some time later at Canterlot, the bakers and the Mane Seven were thrilled when the combo cake won first place. When Princess Celestia arrived to congratulate them and sample the winning cake, Pinkie Pie shared the friendship lesson she'd learned on the train ride.

"Today I learned that it is not good to jump to conclusions," she explained. "You have to find out all the facts before saying somepony did something. If you don't, you could end up blaming somepony for something they never did. This could hurt their feelings, and it can make you look really foolish. So from now on, I will always make sure to get all the facts. How's that for a lesson, Princess Celestia?" she asked.

"That's an excellent lesson," Princess Celestia agreed while eying the cake, which the twins were cutting slices from for the group.

Twilight Sparkle brought a piece over for the Princess. "Care for a bite?" she offered.

"I don't mind if I do," said Pinkie Pie and she immediately swallowed the cake, startling the group, and then they all laughed at her antics. "Mmmmm."

* * *

A/N: The mystery has been solved and all has been forgiven. I will see you all on Friday for the next episode. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


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